Device more particularly adapted for sharpening blades



Sept. 18, 1934. u. ALLlONl ET AL 1,973,739

DEVICE MORE PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR SHARPENING BLADES Filed Nov. 50, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 J- Alhoni N l Coen INVENTOQS UL; Mtor w 2 I .t m w S w m 1 AS Lt B9 Gm NS I W4 .P R A H S R M 2 9 1 A mm. 7 To mu o u l w Y n. m Uni Mr: T m P 7 E u I E c I v E D Sept. 18, 1934.

Umberl'o A Na a eone. C Q I INVENTORS Sept. 18, 1934.

U. ALLIONI ET AL DEVICE MORE PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR SHARPENING BLADES Filed Nov. 30, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 34 if 5*: 7 55 28 J6 Mturnvsg Patented Sept. 18, 1934 DEVICE MORE PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOB SHABPENING BLADES Umberto Allioni and Napoleone Coen, Rome,

Italy; said Coon assignor to, said Allioni Application November so, 1932, serial No. 844,954 In Germany April 1, 1932 18 Claims. (Cl. 51-65) The invention relates to an automatic electrical device for sharpening blades of any kind, more particularly razor blades with a uniform reciprocating movement of the sharpening tool, actuated directly by electro-magnets or suction solenoids, relatively to the blade, the position of the blade relatively to the sharpening tool being reversed immediately before the reversal of the movement of the said sharpening tool.

The invention likewise comprises a device for holding the cutting edge of the blade pressed upon the sharpening tool, after the reversal of the blade position relatively to the shapening tool, during the whole or substantially the whole of the period of the sharpening tool movement.

The invention furthermore comprises an electrical switch which is only actuated at the end of the forward or return stroke of its movable actuating device, and remains automatically in 2a the one or the other circuit-closing end position until the movable actuating device brings it positively into the other end position. The said switch comprises very simple parts and is easy and cheap to manufacture.

According to the invention, by meansof suitable electrical connections, the movements of the blade to be sharpened and the sharpening tool are so adapted to each other that the blade can only move after or substantially at the end of the movement of the sharpening tool, and this movement can take place only after or substantially at the end of the movement of the blade to be sharpened.

A feature of the invention is that the blade sharpening device is simply and strongly constructed, and'with the exception of a few oscillating levers does not comprise any rotary parts or toothed gears. The device is easy to assemble and take to pieces, the electrical parts forming a separate unit independent of the mechanical parts, and all the parts which are subject to rapid wear are adapted to be exchanged at once, even by unskilled persons, without the aid of tools.

The shapening tool according to the invention consists of an element mounted on a plate, the plate being provided with appropriate engagement members for holding the sharpening element and being actuated directly .by the aforesaid electro-magnets or suction solenoids.

A particular feature of the blade-sharpening device according to the invention consists in the fact that two sharpening tools are employed, operating simultaneously and connectedly, one of which operates on one blade face while the other operates on the other blade face, and one or which is arranged in an open box provided with a hinged lid, while the other is arranged in the hinged lid itself, such that when the box is closed again, both grinding wheels are brought automatically into their mutual co-operating position, the blade to be sharpened being conveniently positioned between the two sharpening elements in their co-operating position.

The invention also comprises one reversing lever or a pair of reversing levers for providing the connection between the movement of the two sharpening elements. The lever or'levers are pivoted to the frame or wall of the box, which contains the entire sharpening device and/or constitutes its support, and are only brought into their operative position when the two sharpening elements are brought into their co-operating position.

The reversing lever according to the invention is so constructed that it is released automatically from one of the two sharpening tools when the aforesaid box is opened (and the sharpening tools are brought out of their co-operative position), but remains engaged with the other tool, being brought automatically into engagement with the first-mentioned sharpening tool when the box is closed, that is to say, when the sharpening tools are brought into their co-operating position.

Finally, the invention comprises a new blade holder which is particularly adapted for razor blades and at the same time is simple, strong, of cheap construction and easy to handle. It is also provided with a fixed projection which constitutes an actuating lever for the blade holder.

These and other advantages of the invention will be gathered from the following description in reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example one construction according to the invention.

5 Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the entire device 9 according to the invention in the closed position, that is to say, in the operative position, the wall nearest the observer having been omitted to show the arrangement of the internal parts.

Figure 2 is a view from above of the box forming the principal part of the device with all the built-in parts.

Figure 3 is an inverted plan of the lid shown in Figure l with all the built-in parts.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken substantially along the line A-B in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view in plan of the inner frame with the built-in electrical actuating and switching device.

Figure'6 is a full view of the open device in perspective, while Figures 7 to 14 are diagrams of the device in different operative positions of the electrical and mechanical parts.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a rectangular box 1 provided with a lid 2. The lid is hinged at 3 and is provided with a lock 4.

' The box 1 contains a frame 5, shown separately in plan in Figure 5, to which are fixed two electromagnetic coils or principal solenoids 6. Each of the latter has an internal cylindrical cavity 7, part of which contains a short fixed soft iron-core 8, while the other part constitutes a free space for a movable soft iron core 9 which is connected by a stirrup 10 to a movable plate 11 carrying the sharpening element 12 (Figures 1,

2 and 4).

The plate 11 is guided by tongues 13 which are constructed by stamping out and bending over portions of the lateral wall of the box 1 (Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6).

It is obvious that, instead of these stamped-out tongues 13, other guides may be provided, for example, guideswhich are likewise stamped out but are not arranged in pairs as in the construction shown, but alternately, along the sliding edge 14 of the plate 11, or attached guides in the form of grooved wall parts of the frame support.

The displacement of the plate 11 is limited by the abutment of its edges 15 and 16 (Figure 2) against the end wallsof the frame 5 at 17, 13 in Figure 1. f

The core 9, which is attracted alternately by the two solenoids 6 and is connected to the plate 11 by the stirrup 10, carries a transverse rod 19 (Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5) which is rigidly connected to it and which actuates the switch 26 to be described hereinafter and the two reversing levers 21, hinged at 22, which serve for transmitting the movement, after its reversal, to the upper plate 23, which is carried in the lid 2 by guides 13 like those provided in the box 1 for the plate 11.

In addition, two auxiliary coils 24 acting upon a common armature 25 are arranged in the frame 5. The said armature has secured to it a rod 26 which with one end 27 actuates a switch 28 to be described hereinafter, and with the other end a crank 30 which constitutes a part of the blade holder 31 to be explained hereinafter.

The electric switches 20 and 28, which determine the working cycle of the solenoids 6 and 24,

are both mounted on one and the same insulating supporting plate 32 which is mounted vertically in the frame 5 by screws or other fixing means.

The switch 20 consists of a movable insulating plate and a phosphor-bronze plate 33 inset into the said plate (Figures 4 and 5). The plate 33 forms the common pole of the switch, since it is continuously in contact with the metal wiping tongue 34. During its sliding, the switch 20 wipes over the metal support 35 which is integral with the tongue 34 and with the other tongue 36, the latter being correspondingly in contact with the plate 37 inset into the switch 28. The switch 20 at the top has a recess 38 with which a rod 19 so co-operates as to displace the switch 20 longitudinally. Since, now, the magnitude of the movement of the core 9 is greater than the length of the recess 38 co-operating with the rod 19, there corresponds to each longitudinal movement of the core, at first a period during which the switch is stationary and then a period of movement effected by the thrust exerted by the rod 19 on one of the two ends of the recess 38.

Due to the movement of the switch 20, the plate 33 forming the common pole is brought into contact with the wiper springs 39 and 40, which are the exception that, instead of a recess 38, as in the case of the'switch 20, it has a slot 43 engaged by the end 27 of the rod 26 so as to actuate the switch by a movement with longitudinal play, like that between the rod 19 and the recess 38 of the switch 20.

The plate 37 of the switch 43 is brought alternately into contact with the wiper springs 44 and 45 fixed to the insulating holder 32 by screws 46 and 47.

The frame support 5' is made of non-magnetic material.

Plug-in contacts 48 and 49 for supplying th working-current are also fixed on the frame 5.

The plates 11 and 23 sliding along the guides 13 carry the sharpening elements 19 and 50 respectively, which are secured to the plates by clamps 51 which engage appropriately bevelled edges of the sharpening elements 12 and 50.

As will be seen from Figures 1 and 4, 52 is a blade (in this case for a razor, but it may be any other-kind of blade, it being merely necessary to suitably modify the blade holder 31, without having to alter the construction of the whole'device) The said blade 52 is carried by a blade holder 31 consisting of a lower part 53 terminating at one end in a semi-cylindrical thickened part 54, and at the other end in a pivot 55 lodged in a suitable bore in the lateral wall of the box 1. As will be seen from Figure 4, the blade holder part 53, consisting for example of a steel plate, is bent out at 56 in the shape of an eye, andboth parts of the bent out plate 53 are connected by a pin 55 which passes through them and is riveted at 57. The strip 53 then extends downwardly to form the crank 30 previously mentioned.

The eye 56 is engaged by the bent ends of th two fingers 59 forming the extension of the upper part of the blade holder. The part 60 adapted to swing about its hinge 56-59 terminates at the free end in a semi-cylindrical thickened portion 72 which, with the previously mentioned thickened portion 54, forms a cylindrical pivot provided with a groove 73 engaged by the catch 74. The pivot 54-72 rests in a U-shaped recess 75 in one of the lateral walls of the box 1.

61, 62 are two studs which together hold th blade 52 in known manner.

On the top plate 23 are fixed two pivots 63 which are connected by a bar- 64 and co-operate with the upper forked ends 71 of the reversing levers. The reversing levers 21 are hinged to the box 1 bysprings 65.

The sharpening elements 12 and 50 preferably consist of a support or holder 66 of wood, fibre, Bakelite (registered trade-mark) or other suitable material on which is provided the layer of abrasive composition 67, or a layer of leather or a small block of Whetstone. When the layer 67 consists of abrasive composition or a block of Whetstone, the upper surface of the layer 67 is undulated diagonally, two oblique undulations 68 and 69 being shown in Figure 3. The angle of inclination of the undulations to the cutting edge of the blade is such that, during a complete stroke of the sharpening element from right to left or vice,

versa, all points of the corresponding blade edge are brought successively into contact with the ridge of the undulation 88 or 69.

The sharpening elements 12 or 50 may easily be replaced by a similar element or by an element with an abrasive compound 67 of a different composition and degree of fineness, or by an element of diflerent transverse dimension and height for adapting it to different blades and diilerent degrees of wear thereof.

The frame 5 is connected to the box 1 by screws 70.

The dimensions of thesharpening device according to the invention are such that, when the plate 11 occupies the position shown in Figure 1, namely in the right hand end of its stroke, the reversing levers, which are connected to the plate 11 by the stirrup 10, support 9 and rod 19, are in the position shown in Figure 1, that is to say, their upper forked end 71 is engaging the pivot 63, assuming that the top plate 23 is at the left-hand end of its stroke. During the open position of the lid, the said position of the plate 23 is ensured by the gravitational force acting upon the plate 23 which, at the left hand wall of the lid 2, automatically engages the forked end '11 of the reversing levers 21.

The device functions as follows:

At the commencement of the working cycle, the parts occupy the positions shown in Figure 1, which is shown diagrammatically in Figure 14. The plate 11 holds the switch 20 in its position closed by contact 40, while the blade 52 is in the horizontal position as shown in Figure 1, in which it is brought by hand when placed in the blade holder 31. However, the blade need not be in this horizontal position, since the previous engagement of the switch 20 with the contact 40 immediately effects the first movement of the blade 52 on closing the switch 76 which is part of the device itself or may be part of an external supply circuit.

The first movement which is made, therefore, is the preparatory movement of the blade 52, which is brought into the suitable position in order to allow of the movement of the sharpening elements carried by the plates 11 and 23, the said first movement of the blade being actuated by the right hand solenoid 24, the blade 52 allowing itself to be inclined to the left by the attraction of the core 25 through the agency of the pin 29 and the blade holder lever 30. The first position of the working cycle shown in Figure 7 is thus attained. The first movement of the plate 11 is effected from right to left by the left hand solenoid 6, and only begins at the end of the preparatory movement described with reference to the blade 52. After completion of the movement (Figures 7, 8, 9) of the plate 11 (to which movement there corresponds another left to right movement of the plate 23 effected by the reversing lever not shown in Figures 7-14) the blade turns over rapidly into the opposite inclined position at the same angle, that is to say, towards the right, and rests on the sharpening elements of the plates 11 and 23 (see Figures 9, 10, 11)

This movement of the blade takes place while the sharpening elements are stationary. After the movement of the blade eifected by the left hand solenoid 25 is ended, the return movement of the plates is commenced and completed, 11 moving from left to right and 23 from right to left. The movement of the plates (Figures 11, 12, 13) proceeds while the blade is stationary, and is lightly pressed with the desired cutting edges on the surface of the layer of abrasive composition of the plates.

A better understanding of this process will be obtained from Figures 7-14, where battery 77 is intended to represent any source of electricity, for example an alternating or direct current domestic installation. The variable resistance 78 is intended to represent any desired means of adapting the device to supply currents of different voltages.

Leads 79, 80 are taken from the battery 77.

The lead 80 supplies current to the movable contact pieces 20 and 28. In Figures 7-14, these parts 20 and 28 are actuated by pins 19 and 27, which correspond to the pins 19 and 27, respectively, in Figure 4. The contacts 39, 40, 44, 45 correspond to the contacts of the device which bear the same reference numerals.

At the commencement of the working cycle, the plate 11 is in its right hand end position, while the plate 23 is in its left hand end position.

The movable contact piece 20 (Figure 7) is then in contact with the spring 40 and hence closes the following circuit; battery switch 76, lead 81, movable contact piece 20, contact 40, lead 82, right hand solenoid 24, lead 83, resistance 78, battery. In this way, the right hand solenoid 24 is energized and attracts the armature 25, which by the lever 30 brings the blade 52 into the position shown. The greater part of the movement of v the blade 52 is completed before the pin 27 shifts the movable contact piece 28, so that contact between the parts 28 and 45 is made only at the end of the stroke of the armature 25 and hence of the blade movement.

The making of the contact between the movable part 28 and the stationary part 45 energizes the left hand solenoid 6 by the following circuit: battery, switch 76, lead 84, movable contact piece 28, fixed part 45, lead 85, left hand solenoid 6, resistance 78, battery. This circuit is indicated by the heavy line drawn in Figure 7. The energizing of the left hand solenoid 6 draws the plate 11 to the left, and the greater part of this movement is completed without the position of the movable contact piece 20, Figure 8, being altered by which contact of course the first of the circuits described is closed, namely that supplying the right hand solenoid 24. This circuit is also indicated by a heavy line drawn in Figures 7 and 8.

The blade 52 is thereby held in the position indicated in Figures 7, 8, 9 with a light but continuous pressure against the sharpening elements or layers on the plates 11 and 23, during the whole of the movement of displacement of the said plates. The movable contact piece 20 is only shifted at the end of the right to left movement of the plate 11 (Figure 9), and the following circuit is closed on its contact 39: battery, switch 12.5 76, lead 81, contact piece 20, contact 39, lead 86, left hand solenoid 24, lead 83, variable resistance 78, battery. This circuit is indicated by a heavy line drawn in Figure 9.

The shifting of the movable contact 20 from right to left has simultaneously interrupted on its contact 40 the energizing circuit of the righthand solenoid 24.

The energizing of the left hand solenoid 24 effects the attraction of its armature 25 to the left so that the blade 52 assumes the position indicated in Figure 11, into which it passes rapidly by way of the trans'tion position shown in Figure 10. .In the said Figure 10, the leads indicated by the heavy lines represent those leads 150 11 remains under the action of the left hand solenoid 6, which prevents all movements of the said plate until its energizing circuit is interrupted by the shifting of movable contact piece 28 to the left. Thisshifting is completed towards the end of the stroke of the armature from right to left. The shifting of the switch 28 closes, on contact 44, the following energizing circuit for the right hand solenoid 6: battery, switch 16, lead 84, part 28 and contact 44, lead 87, right hand solenoid 6, lead 83, variable resistance 78, battery; This circuit is indicated by the heavy line in Figure 11.

The plate 11 is attracted to the right by this energization, while the blade 52 is pressed against the said plate and is held in the position indicated in Figures 11, 12, 13, by the attraction of the left hand solenoid 24 which, during almost the entire period of the right hand movement of the plate 11, remains energized by the closed contact 28-44, because the movable part 28 is only shifted to the right towards the end of the right hand movement of the plate 11. The energizing circult for the left hand solenoid 24 is indicated by a heavy line'in Figures 11 and 12.

The energization of the right hand solenoid 6 causes the plate 11 to be shifted to the right. During the greater part of its stroke, current is carried by the-circuits shown in heavy lines in Figure 12, namely the circuits of the right hand solenoid 6 and the left hand solenoid 24.

At the end of the right hand stroke of the plate 11 (Figure 13), the movable contact piece 20 shifts to the right and closes on its contact 40 the following circuit: battery, switch 76, lead ures 14 and 7. During its movement, for example into the stage indicated in-Figure 14, the plates are stationary, because the armature of the plate 11 is held fast in its right hand end position by the right hand solenoid '6, still energized by the circuit (Figure 14) described in the fore- 8 mg.

At the end of the blade movement, that is to say, the left to right movement of its armature 25, the movable contact piece 28 is shifted to the right and closes on its contact the circuit just indicated for the left hand solenoid 6.

With the return of the plate 11 into the position shown in Figure '1, the working cycle is completed and all the parts are in their initial position. The working cycle is repeated indefinitely until the switch '76 is opened.

It is obvious that the construction which has been described and illustrated in the drawings allows of many constructional modifications in details, without departing from the scope of the invention, and without altering the fundamental electrical connections which, of course, may be replaced by connections which .are electrically equivalent.

. The sharpening device described in the. foregoing is intended to' serve for blades of any kind,

for example for free-handed razor blades, the blade holder being suitably adapted therefor in a manner known to any person skilled in the art. For reasons of simpleness and cheapness, the sharpening device according to the invention may be provided with only one plate and only one sharpening element, thereby dispensing with the reversing levers 21 and the plate 23 in the I lid. In this case, of course, the blade will have to be sharpened in two periods, first on one side and then on the other side.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:

1. An electrical blade sharpening device comprising a. blade holder, two movable members, abrasive material fastened on said members in cooperative relation with two edges ofthe blade, two electromagnets, a circuit for said magnets, a switch in said circuit controlled by one of said members and controlling in turn the alternate energization of said magnets, and means including said magnets for causing said movable members to execute alternate reciprocating movements.

2. A device asclaimed in claim 1, including a second switch, a coupling for each of the two switches connecting the latter with the movable members, said couplings having so much play of movement as corresponds substantially to the total length of the stroke of each of said members.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, including a second switch, a coupling for each of the two switches connecting the latter with the movable members, said couplings having so much play of movement as corresponds substantially to the total length of the stroke of each of said members, the said two movable members executing rectilinear movements.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, including a second switch, a coupling for each of the two switches connecting the latter with the movable members, said couplings having so much play of movement as corresponds substantially to the total length of the stroke of each of said members, the said two movable members executing rectilinear movements, further, a slot-and-pinjoint connectingthe switches to the respective movable members.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, including a second switch, couplings between said switches and said movable members, said couplings having a play of movement equal substantially to the total length of stroke of each of said members, an insulating plate carrying a conducting plate forming part of each switch, a common support for said plates, the latter being adapted to slide on said support, a metal channel platefor guiding said plates, said metal channel plate constituting the common pole for the two switches, and

means to reverse the position of the blade relatively to the sharpening means, said reversing movement taking place just prior to the reversing movement of the sharpening means.

8. A device as claimed in claim 6, comprising means for pressing the cutting edge of the blade with a continuous pressure against the sharpening tool during the whole or substantially the whole period of the movement of the said tool.

9. A device as claimed in claim 6, comprising two switches, a member actuating the switches at the end of its forward and return stroke.

10. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which one of the two switches is mechanically controlled by the movable sharpening device, and controls electrically the two solenoids which directly actuate the blade, the second switch being controlled mechanically by the moving blade and controlling electrically the two solenoids which ac tuate the sharpening tool.

11. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which the sharpening tool is constituted by a metal plate which carries a sharpening element attached to it, said plate being actuated directly by the solenoids.

12. A device as claimed in claim 6, comprising a pair of sharpening tools disposed oppositely each other, whereby the one works one face of the blade, and the other works the other face.

13. A device as claimed in claim 6, comprising a lid carrying box, a pair of sharpening tools, one of the sharpening tools being disposed in the body of the box and the other being disposed in the lid, whereby, when the box is closed, the two sharpening tools are in their operative position relatively to each other, and a blade holder situated between the two sharpening tools when the latter are in operative position.

14. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a lid carrying box, a pair of sharpening tools, one thereof being disposed in the body of the box and the other being disposed in the lid, whereby, when the box is closed the said tools are in operative position with respect to each other, and a blade holder disposed between the two sharpening tools, reversing levers actuating the said tools, said levers being pivoted to the wall of the box.

15. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a lid carrying box, a pair of sharpening tools, one thereof being disposed in the body of the box and the other being disposed in the lid, whereby, when the box is closed the said tools are in operative position with respect to each other, and a blade holder disposed between the two sharpening tools, reversing levers actuating the said tools, said levers being pivoted to the wall of the box, the said levers being so arranged that they connect the two sharpening tools only when the latter are in their operative position.

16. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a lid carrying box, a pair of sharpening tools, one thereof being disposed in the body of the box and the other being disposed in the lid, whereby, when the box is closed the said tools are in operative position with respect to each other, and a blade holder disposed between the two sharpening tools, reversing levers actuating the said tools, said levers being pivoted to the wall of the box, the said reversing levers being so constructed that they leave one of the two sharpening tools when the box is open and the sharpening tools are not in their operative position, but remain in engagement with the other sharpening tool, the said levers automatically engaging the first-mentioned sharpening tools on closing the box.

17. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a box containing the sharpening device, an automatic interrupter associated with the blade holder to interrupt the operation of the device when the box is opened.

18. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which the blade holder is provided with an actuating lever integral with the said blade holder.

UMBERTO ALLIONI. NAPOLEONE COEN. 

